Be aware that any pregnancy related sickness can affect your maternity benefits, so keep to a minimum where possible. If for example you have a problem that is likely to remain with you until the birth, your G.P may need to provide you with a letter or certificate to verify this. Always use your GP and Midwife as support mechanisms.
Preparing to leave work
The long awaited day is nearly upon you, and you are counting the weeks until you can finally put your feet up and start ‘nesting’.
Make sure you don’t leave preparations for your departure until the last few days, or even weeks, as many pregnancies can be unpredictable, and you may need to leave sooner than you anticipated.
Without adding any undue pressure to yourself, ensure that your ‘stand-in’ has all the necessary information they require, to step into your shoes, and make it clear that you will not be on hand to offer any help whilst you are off, so make sure they are clear on everything before you hand over the role!
Ensure that colleagues help you out as much as possible, often our memories as well as our bodies are significantly affected in the latter stages of pregnancy, so if people offer help, take it.
Make lists, leave notes, and ensure that email/telephone contacts are aware of your leaving day, so that they don’t leave work for you right up until the last minute.
Clear your desk over a period of days, rather than on the last day, as for many women the ‘finality’ of this can be quite overwhelming. It can be a strange feeling to think you are going to be away from your close friends, colleagues, and for some your ‘safety net’, for a lengthy period of time, so ease out gently.
Keeping in touch
Once you’ve left the ‘madhouse’ that you call work, you will no doubt be glad to see the back of the responsibility for a time. Once you have left, and during the time leading up to the birth, only make contact with your employer if you choose to do so. You are not obliged to do this.
On the birth of your new arrival, your partner, or a family member may wish to inform your employer on your behalf. Again, it is entirely your choice whether or not to do this.
In the months that you are off following the birth, you may decide to resume gentle contact, in a non-work related manner.
Depending on their employment role, some women choose to attend ‘keeping in touch days’ whereby they can ease back into their role gently in the months or weeks leading up to their return to work.
You can decide how or if you wish to do this, for example attending your place of work for half a day per month, or a day per week, but no more than 10 days in total.
If you choose to do this, your employer is obliged to pay you, at your usual rate of pay, and this is allowable additional to your ‘Statutory Maternity Pay’ (SMP).
If you choose to extend your maternity leave, over and above your planned return date, you must inform your employer no less than 8 weeks before the original return to work date. This must be submitted in writing.
